Different types of tools are used to perform hundreds of processing operations during semiconductor device fabrication. Most of these operations are performed in vacuum chambers at very low pressure. Wafers are introduced to the process chambers with wafer handling systems that are mechanically coupled to the process chambers. The wafer handling systems transfer wafers from the factory floor to the process chamber. These systems include loadlocks to bring the wafers from atmospheric conditions to very low pressure conditions and back, and robots to transfer the wafers to various positions. In many apparatuses, wafers are heated or cooled in a loadlock. For example, after processing, hot wafers may be placed in a loadlock for cooling as well as repressurization. Throughput—the number of wafers processed in a period of time—is affected by the process time as well as the number of wafers that are processed at a time. What are needed are improved methods and apparatuses of increasing throughput.